No goals, no glory

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The U.S. men’s Olympic soccer team has started off with a whimper, escaping with a 0-0 tie in a warm-up friendly against Ivory Coast today thanks only to the fine goalkeeping of Brad Guzan.

The game, the first of two in Hong Kong for the Americans before they head north, was dominated by the African side, which out-shot the U.S., 7-3 overall and 4-1 in shots on target.

Former Chivas USA goalkeeper Guzan, who is waiting to hear this week whether he has been granted a British work permit so that he can join Aston Villa in the English Premier League, was in top form.

He made four saves, one of them an exceptional kick-save on a point-blank shot by Ivory Coast striker Sekou Cisse in the 71st minute after Guzan had earlier denied Cisse with a diving save off a sharp downward header.

Peter Nowak, the U.S. coach, used 17 players of his 18 players in the match, changing the team’s formation from a 4-4-2 to a 4-5-1 at the half.

But the U.S. attack was toothless as the team concentrated on holding the faster, more athletic Ivory Coast squad in check. Forwards Brian McBride, Jozy Altidore and Charlie Davies each managed only one shot on goal; a weak header by Altidore went straight to Ivory Coast goalkeeper Vincent de Paul Angban.

“These matches are tune-ups for the Olympics, so we want to make sure the stuff we’ve been working on will translate into the games,” Nowak said on the U.S. Soccer website.

The U.S. plays another African team, Cameroon, on Saturday in Hong Kong before its three first-round games in the Olympics against Japan, the Netherlands and Nigeria. The first two matches are in Tianjin, the third in Beijing.

“Our preparations, mentally and physically, will show through these two games both offensively and defensively,” Nowak said. “We want to make sure to get the full package together by next week.”

-- Grahame L. Jones